scholarly journals MANAGEMENT OF CAPITAL ASSETS BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: AN ASSESSMENT AND BENCHMARKING SURVEY

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga KAGANOVA ◽  
Jeffrey TELGARSKY

There is a growing recognition of the importance of government-owned capital assets, both conceptually and in practice, in large part due to the 2008 global financial crisis. However, a sizeable gap remains between the academic and professional “universe of knowledge” surrounding government asset management, and the actual asset management practiced by governments. In particular, the majority of governments around the world are wholly uninformed when it comes to good asset management. The purpose of this paper is to reduce this gap and suggest an instrument specifically for local governments, for the evaluation of their asset management, in order to help them to identify the weakest elements of asset management and thus focus limited resources on improving these elements. The instrument consists of essentially a composite image of good asset management practices for three main asset types: buildings, land, and infrastructure. The instrument specifies each asset management practice by its key characteristics and then converts each characteristic into a survey question. Answers are scored and a total score for each asset type is calculated. The assessment instrument can be used by local governments, their advisers, and by researchers interested in comparative analysis of asset management in different jurisdictions or countries.

2005 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. F. Botha

The research was conducted to develop and stabilize a data collection and analysis instrument for an annual survey of knowledge management practices in the South African business sector. From a literature study it was deduced that six factors could be identified with necessary and sufficient reason to be used as main parameters for the assessment instrument. Synthesized a priori and posteriori judgmental knowledge was used to construct a number of aggregational indicators for each factor. Each indicator posited as a statement being a recognized knowledge management practice. A modified six point Likert scale was created to score/indicate gradual progression towards full implementation of a specific practice. Regression factor analysis and one-way analysis of variance was used on the collected data to evaluate the instrument. These analyses indicated that the instrument could detect the expected differences on the demographics and on the KM practices of the survey and could therefore be declared sound and verified. The analyses also revealed several modifications that could be used to improve the instrument.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 73-79
Author(s):  
Peter Adoko Obicci

Purpose of the study: Amidst soaring use of excellent physical assets, there is a less clear understanding of their weight on service delivery. Drawing on the contention that quality services delivery relies on excellent physical assets, the study aimed to establish how physical asset management practices affect quality service delivery in local governments in the mid-north sub-region of Uganda. Methodology: The study used a cross-sectional design with a quantitative approach. A sample of 131 respondents was targeted and obtained using simple random and purposive sampling of physical asset managers in local governments. Collected data using a self-administered questionnaire was analyzed quantitatively (descriptive and inferential statistics) using Statistical Program for Social Scientists (SPSS Ver. 23). Main Findings: Findings revealed that there was a positive correlation between physical asset management practices (rho.506) and quality service delivery. Accordingly, it was concluded that physical asset management practices, measured in terms of lifecycle planning, risk management, information management and performance management significantly affected quality service delivery in local governments in the mid-north sub-region of Uganda. Research limitations/implications: The study used a quantitative approach in two local governments with probable missed out on qualitative aspects aside difficulty in generalizability. However, it enlightens theoreticians and practitioners in ensuring proper execution of physical asset management practices in engineering, infrastructure, estate, finance and above all public procurement; for the provision of quality services desired and expected by the different stakeholders. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study parallels those in developed countries which reveal that success in quality service delivery is a result of using excellent physical assets. However, in developing countries studies are nearly nonexistent. Essentially, there is a paucity of research addressing the subject creating a need to study and systematically document elevation of delivery of quality services using excellent physical assets. 


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauricio García Mejía ◽  
Alejandro Pareja ◽  
Pedro Farias

Historically, governments in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have accumulated extensive assets. In recent decades, austerity and cost-cutting needs, sustainability agendas, the changing role of the State, information and communication technologies, public management reforms, and increasing knowledge sharing, have significantly changed the management practices of public buildings, movable property, land, forests, cultural heritage, and other nonfinancial public assets. Unfortunately, LAC societies have not reaped the many potential benefits that nonfinancial public assets could generate. Outdated regulatory frameworks and lack of adequate management instruments and technological tools, limit the economic and social uses of these assets. These affects their ability to contribute to the emergence from crises. The first chapter discusses the many benefits of efficient asset management. It evaluates the situation of public asset management in LAC and presents a model with the core components of an efficient public asset management system (governance, information, financing, risk management, measurement and control, and strategic asset planning). The second chapter presents an example of asset management transformation at the national level, describing the background and scope of the reforms undertaken by New Zealand three decades ago. The third chapter analyzes the implications of efficient asset management for local governments, concluding with a proposal for the creation of urban wealth funds.


2013 ◽  
pp. 147-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Latukha ◽  
T. Tsukanova

The study investigates talent management practices in Russian and foreign companies. The inquiry of Russian and foreign companies (working in Russia) showed that perceived and dedicated talent management practices contribute to better companies performance. The study results can be used in talent management practice development.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-53
Author(s):  
Ibragimova Gulirano ◽  
Husnuddinova Dilorom ◽  
Akhmatova Khurshida ◽  
Shodibekova Dildor

Recent economic changes have developed via modern technological prospective. Consistent measures for the development of digital economy are being implemented gradual introduction of e-commerce systems for electronic document flows and service of individuals. However, find solutions for the lack of a unified information and technology platform, which integrates the centralized information by just one digital economic reform in world regions. After the global financial crisis of 2001–2009 years, digital industries have been amid the most dynamic and promising in the global economy. However, equilibrium is lacked of benefits and risks in the digital economy around the world, which explains the need for global governance in this sphere. In this article authors analyzed main role and characteristics of digital economy around average income countries. Generally, reviewing define the key characteristics of this sector, as well as highlight the challenges to international cooperation. Modern approaches on legal entities is being implemented in Uzbekistan for further development.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Alireza Sassani ◽  
Omar Smadi ◽  
Neal Hawkins

Pavement markings are essential elements of transportation infrastructure with critical impacts on safety and mobility. They provide road users with the necessary information to adjust driving behavior or make calculated decisions about commuting. The visibility of pavement markings for drivers can be the boundary between a safe trip and a disastrous accident. Consequently, transportation agencies at the local or national levels allocate sizeable budgets to upkeep the pavement markings under their jurisdiction. Infrastructure asset management systems (IAMS) are often biased toward high-capital-cost assets such as pavements and bridges, not providing structured asset management (AM) plans for low-cost assets such as pavement markings. However, recent advances in transportation asset management (TAM) have promoted an integrated approach involving the pavement marking management system (PMMS). A PMMS brings all data items and processes under a comprehensive AM plan and enables managing pavement markings more efficiently. Pavement marking operations depend on location, conditions, and AM policies, highly diversifying the pavement marking management practices among agencies and making it difficult to create a holistic image of the system. Most of the available resources for pavement marking management focus on practices instead of strategies. Therefore, there is a lack of comprehensive guidelines and model frameworks for developing PMMS. This study utilizes the existing body of knowledge to build a guideline for developing and implementing PMMS. First, by adapting the core AM concepts to pavement marking management, a model framework for PMMS is created, and the building blocks and elements of the framework are introduced. Then, the caveats and practical points in PMMS implementation are discussed based on the US transportation agencies’ experiences and the relevant literature. This guideline is aspired to facilitate PMMS development for the agencies and pave the way for future pavement marking management tools and databases.


2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Kaganova ◽  
Abdirasul Akmatov ◽  
Charles Undeland

The Urban Institute (UI) worked with five cities in post‐Soviet Kyrgyzstan to apply better management practices through the development of Strategic Land Management Plans. Kyrgyzstan transferred property to local governments, but municipal land management had remained poor owing to a proliferation of responsible agencies, lack of rule of law, corruption, and passiveness on the part of local governments. UI worked with local governments to make an inventory of municipal land, publicize the results, and develop a strategy that articulated principles for land management and an implementation plan. This led to several improvements including proper registration of parcels and proactive policies to lease and sell land through open competition. It also established a model for determining public policy that countered corruption and public deliberation of costs and benefits in the use of local assets. Donor involvement to promote good land legislation, the property registration system, and decentralization was also critical to success. Santrauka Urbanistikos institutas bendradarbiavo su penkiais posovietinės Kirgizijos miestais, kad, plėtodamas strateginės žemėtvarkos planus, įvestų geresnę vadybos praktiką. Kirgizijoje nuosavybė perduota vietos valdžiai, tačiau žemėtvarkos būklė savivaldybėse išliko vargana dėl atsakingų tarnybų gausos, įstatymų trūkumo, korupcijos ir vietos valdžios pasyvumo. Urbanistikos institutas bendradarbiavo su vietos valdžia, siekdamas inventorizuoti savivaldybių žemę, paskelbti rezultatus ir sukurti strategiją, pabrėžiančią žemėtvarkos principus ir įgyvendinimo planą. Tai leido kai ką patobulinti, įskaitant deramą sklypų registravimą ir aktyvią žemės nuomos bei pardavimo per atvirus konkursus politiką. Be to, sudarytas modelis, nustatantis viešąją politiką, kovojančią su korupcija, ir viešus sąnaudų ir naudos svarstymus naudojant vietinį turtą. Prie gerų žemės įstatymų, nuosavybės registravimo sistemos ir decentralizacijos sėkmingo propagavimo daug prisidėjo ir rėmėjai.


Author(s):  
Jay Andrew Cohen

Purpose – This paper aims to look at the peripheral management practice that facilitates employee learning. Such management practices are embedded or inseparable to working and being a good manager. Design/methodology/approach – Point of view. Findings – For many frontline managers and their employees, the separation between working and learning is often not apparent. There appears to be no clear distinction between when they are working and when they are learning. Practical implications – Better development of organizational managers. Originality/value – This paper highlights the informal nature of learning and working and builds on the understanding that much of the learning that occurs at work occurs as part of a social act, often involving managers and their employees. In this way, employee learning that is identified and facilitated by frontline managers is so often entwined in other management activity. Furthermore, this paper outlines some practical actions that organizations can undertake to aid greater frontline management involvement in employee learning.


2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica A. Roydhouse ◽  
Smita Shah ◽  
Brett G. Toelle ◽  
Susan M. Sawyer ◽  
Craig M. Mellis ◽  
...  

The prevalence of asthma in Australia is high. Previous findings have suggested that asthma management, particularly in primary care, remains suboptimal and recent government initiatives to improve asthma management and encourage the use of written asthma action plans (WAAPs) in general practice have been implemented. We aimed to assess the attitudes, confidence and self-reported paediatric asthma management practices of a convenience sample of Australian general practitioners (GPs). A baseline questionnaire was administered to GPs as part of a randomised controlled trial. General practitioners (GPs) were recruited from two areas of greater metropolitan Sydney, NSW between 2006 and 2008. Invitations were sent to an estimated 1200 potentially eligible GPs. Of 150 (12.5%) GPs that enrolled, 122 (10.2%) completed the baseline questionnaire. Though 89% were aware of the Australian National Asthma Guidelines, less than 40% were familiar with guideline recommendations. While 85.2% had positive attitudes towards WAAPs, only 45.1% reported providing them frequently. For children with frequent symptoms, 90% agreed they should prescribe daily, inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), and 83% reported currently prescribing ICS to such patients. These findings indicate gaps between GP attitudes and behaviours and highlights opportunities for interventions to improve paediatric asthma management.


Weed Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Masilamany Dilipkumar ◽  
Muhammad Saiful Ahmad-Hamdani ◽  
Hairazi Rahim ◽  
Tse Seng Chuah ◽  
Nilda Roma Burgos

Abstract A total of 452 rice farmers from three main granary areas of Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA), Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority (KADA), and Integrated Agricultural Development Area Barat Laut Selangor (IADA BLS) were surveyed in 2019. The goal was to determine farmers’ knowledge of and management practices for weedy rice (Oryza spp.) as well as the adoption level of Clearfield® rice technology (CRT) in Malaysia. Most farmers (74%) were adept at recognizing weedy rice. The majority of farmers (77%) perceived transplanting and water seeding rice systems as the best options to manage weedy rice, while only 10% of the farmers adopted CRT. The low level of adoption of this technology was due to several constraints, including the high cost of the CRT package and occurrence of imidazolinone (IMI)-resistant weedy rice in their farms. Farmers from MADA and IADA BLS reported the occurrence of IMI weedy rice in their farms for more than nine planting seasons, whereas those from KADA reported having resistant weedy rice for five to six planting seasons. The main factor contributing to the evolution of IMI-resistant weedy rice was ignorance about the technology and deliberate disregard of stewardship guidelines. The survey revealed that there is a need to increase awareness about CRT through training and educational programs for proper adoption of this technology.


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